KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 4 — Malaysian theatre company Liver & Lung today released its debut studio album titled Mahsuri (& Other Peculiar Tales).
The album is one of the highlights of the musical and soon-to-be-released film of the same title, written by theatre director and composer Shafeeq Shajahan.
In a statement, the theatre company said the studio experimentation showcases East Asian instruments, Bollywood-inspired vocals and authentically Malaysian percussion beats that truly captures a diverse Malaysian spirit.
The album was first composed by Shafeeq for the to-be-released film, which was a recent finalist at the Short Shorts Film Festival in Tokyo.
The album features rising stars Badrika Baluch (as Mahsuri), Joshua Gui (as Wan Derus), Nabilah Hamid (as Mahura) and Nave VJ (as Deraman).
Shafeeq said he developed the concept for Mahsuri (& Other Peculiar Tales) in 2017 as a stage musical.
It then won Liver & Lung their first BOH Cameronian Arts Awards in 2017.
“The film adaptation has been gestating in my mind for a while so I’m so happy that our music is finally released for all to listen,” said Shafeeq.
“I’ve always believed in the importance of remembering our roots.”
Shafeeq said the Malaysian identity is diverse and colourful and as a film and theatre-maker, he feels a responsibility to keep reintroducing Malaysian stories to new audiences in contemporary and exciting ways.
Mahsuri (& Other Peculiar Tales) is a six-song soundtrack album that depicts the legend of Mahsuri, a Malaysian tale of a beautiful woman wrongly accused of adultery.
The album blends the South and South-east Asian sounds with contemporary musical theatre elements to reimagine the legend, documenting Mahsuri’s arrival in Langkawi, her romance with the warrior Wan Derus and her untimely death at the hands of her evil mother-in-law, Mahura.
The album is now available on Spotify and other music stores.
Liver & Lung is an award-winning, international production company founded by best friends, Shafeeq and Hannah Shields.
After winning three awards at the Boh Cameronian Arts Awards this year, the production company has been committed to upholding the arts in what has been a difficult year.
This release marks the beginning of their venture into digital musical soundtracks.
